Andrew B. Watkins

As US climate data-gathering is gutted, Australian forecasting is now at real risk For decades, Australia has relied on data from US satellites, floats and monitoring programs. Planned deep cuts put Australian forecasting at risk

Links:
SMH/Age: www.smh.com.au/environment/...
The Conversation: theconversation.com/as-us-climat...

“The US has put us on notice, even if our worst fears aren’t realised. For insurance, we must invest more in our domestic capabilities and forge new partnerships abroad, not least because the challenges – from carbon emissions cuts to climate adaptation – are going to intensify.”
The Hon. Matt Kean

🚨 Australia’s weather forecasting is under threat — and the danger is coming from Washington. | The Hon. Matt Kean 🚨 Australia’s weather forecasting is under threat — and the danger is coming from Washington. In a deeply interconnected world, climate science doesn’t stop at borders. Australia relies on global sat...

Chair of the Climate Change Authority, Matt Kean, op-Ed in the SMH/Age on the need to protect our weather forecasts from US cuts, with links to our earlier Conversation article.

www.linkedin.com/posts/matt-k...

Melting glaciers on remote Australian island spark concern Glaciers on the remote Australian territory of Heard Island have lost almost a quarter of their size over the past seven decades amid rising temperatures in the sub-Antarctic region, new research show...

⛰️ Scientists from @arcsaef.bsky.social tracked changes to 29 glaciers on sub-Antarctic Heard Island between 1947 and 2019. Over that 72-year period, they found the loss of 64 square kilometres of glacier coverage — a 22 percent decline.

▶️ www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...

Fixed it for you @abcnewsbot.bsky.social

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...

Plot in traditional BoM ‘we made a new scale’ deep purple

Just in case you were not sure how off the previous scale Australia’s ocean temperatures were in the last Financial Year (July 2024 - June 2025) I plotted it using the previous FY graph

www.bom.gov.au/climate/curr...

“The El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) was neutral at the start of the 2024–25 financial year and approached La Niña-like conditions towards the end of 2024 and into early 2025. The Indian Ocean Dipole remained in a neutral state throughout the financial year.”

www.bom.gov.au/climate/curr...

“Area-averaged monthly SSTs for the Australian region were the warmest on record for the months of October to February, and the second warmest on record for all other months.”

“Warmest on record sea surface temperatures for the Australian region, and second-warmest on record globally.”

The nationally-averaged mean temperature in the 2024–25 financial year was 1.68 °C above the 1961–1990 average, the warmest financial year since records began in 1910–11. The mean temperature for every month from August 2024 to March 2025 were in the top 5 warmest on record.

‘The 2024–25 financial year was Australia's warmest FYI on record: +1.68 °C. Sea surface temperatures were warmest on record, +0.94 °C. Low rainfall in the south prolonged the dry, further reducing soil moisture, streamflows & water storage levels.’
BoM FY Statement
www.bom.gov.au/climate/curr...

Someone has to live it… 😎

I was tad frustrated with @larissawaters.bsky.social when she said we hadn’t gone hard enough on projections (when in actual fact we said that projections at 4°C didn’t capture tipping points, so we did them explicitly) but I appreciate her passion for the project & transparency and moving forward.

You can find the Australian products in the Copernicus model suite listed as BOM

climate.copernicus.eu/charts/packa...

Eg for rainfall, listed in to multi model ensemble

climate.copernicus.eu/charts/packa...

The EU out of the gates early. For earth observations and global
Weather and Climate modelling, the ECMWF and Copernicus programs will become the global standard and goto.
Proud to play a role in shifting the ACCESS-S across to Copernicus and developing that partnership.

Actually… we have freezing drizzle at Hotham last night. Car was showing -2°C, and drizzle landing on windscreen freezing on immediately.

Hansard Display Hansard Display

The National Climate Risk Assessment (NCRA) and National adaptation Plan (NAP) must now be released before 9:30am 25 August, as voted 40:24 according to Hansard.
Tad embarrassing - don’t recall a senate vote forcing the Woodside north west shelf gas licence extension..
www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentar...

And my breakfast view…

My interview on US cuts to weather and climate data, research and staff, on ABC Radio:
drive.google.com/file/d/1Qex9...
Old link
drive.google.com/file/d/1Qex9...

Yes indeed. Brings chills.
Him and Ken Ring.

The "worst-case scenario of famine" is unfolding in Gaza under Israel’s military assault, the world's leading body on hunger said.

HONOLULU (AP) — Tsunami warning sirens blare in Honolulu and people are told to move to higher ground after earthquake off Russia.

Climate This report evaluates existing peer-reviewed literature and government data on climate impacts of greenhouse gas emissions and provides a critical assessment of the conventional narrative on climate c...

Bulldust.
www.energy.gov/topics/climate

A veritable who’s who of early 2000’s climate sceptics!

The satellite program that was the basis of my PhD is unplugged this week. Sure it was nearing end of life, but there is no immediate US replacement for some roles - e.g., the US @nsidc.bsky.social is switching to JAXA (Japan) data.

And right on cue…
(And my cherished home for 2 months in 1994!!)

Our thoughts and support for all our US science friends.

As US climate data-gathering is gutted, Australian forecasting is now at real risk For decades, Australia has relied on data from US satellites, floats and monitoring programs. Planned deep cuts put Australian forecasting at risk

Our article on the impacts US cuts to NOAA/NASA/NSF could have on Australian and global weather and climate and oceans monitoring and forecasting - and the steps Australia needs to protect itself. Written with a significant group of amazing co-authors

theconversation.com/as-us-climat...

Comes with strategic strings attached… www.dfat.gov.au/sites/defaul...

Greenland melt area has stayed at record values all week
polarportal.dk/en/greenland...